The Internal Affairs Unit of the Pine Hill Police Department is responsible for ensuring that members of the department meet the highest standards of professional conduct and are responsive to the citizens they serve. The Internal Affairs Unit is also responsible for the thorough investigation of all complaints of misconduct against members of the Pine Hill Police.

The Internal Affairs Unit reports directly to the Chief of Police. The Office is charged with administering the investigative and disciplinary processes for the Pine Hill Police Department. The primary mission of the Internal Affairs Unit is to assure that the members of the Pine Hill Police meet the highest standards of integrity and ethical performance.

The Pine Hill Police Department is dedicated to providing the best possible police service to the citizens it serves. Officers are carefully selected and receive the best possible training to help them perform their duties in a fair, honest, impartial, and professional manner. Your assistance helps the Pine Hill Police maintain the integrity of the organization. If you feel strongly about the conduct of an officer, positively or negatively, please let us know.

The Internal Affairs Unit can be reached by telephone at: 856-783-1549 x 410 or individuals may visit the Pine Hill Police Administration Building located at 48 West Sixth Avenue, Pine Hill NJ 08012.

1. ANYONE – Any individual must be permitted to file an Internal Affairs complaint. It can be a victim, a friend of the victim, a parent, a juvenile (with or without parents), an illegal alien (we are not permitted to ask about immigration status) or it can be anonymous. ANYONE means ANYONE.

2. ANY WAY – An Internal Affairs complaint can be filed in ANY WAY. It could be filed by phone, by letter, written on a napkin, in person… Whatever is best for the person filing. We cannot make someone show up in person or swear the statement to initiate the complaint process.

3. ANY TIME – A complaint must be taken regardless of the hour or day of the week. Ay no time should a complaint be told to return later, even if the IA officer is unavailable. ANY law enforcement officer or civilian employee must take a complaint.

4. ANYTHING – As long as a complaint has sufficient factual information, the complaint must be investigated. It is predicated upon the victim’s view of the situation.

* * * LAW ENFORCEMENT MUST AVOID ANY LANGUAGETHAT IS DESIGNED TO DISSUADE SOMEBODYFROM FILING A COMPLAINT.* * *

1. Your Complaint will be sent to a superior officer or a specially trained internal affairs investigator who will conduct a thorough and objective investigation.

2. You might be asked to help in the investigation by giving a detailed statement about what happened or providing other important information.

3. All complaints against law enforcement officers are thoroughly investigated. You will be advised in writing of the outcome.

4. If our investigation shows that a crime might have been committed, the County Prosecutor will be notified. You may be asked to testify in court.

5. If our investigation results in an officer being charged with a violation of department rules or regulations, you may be asked to testify in a departmental hearing.

6. If our investigation shows that the complaint is unfounded or that the officer acted properly, the matter will be closed.

7. All disciplinary hearings shall be closed to the public unless the defendant officer requests an open hearing.

N.J.S. 2C:28-3 Unsworn Falsification to Authorities states, ” A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if he makes a written false statement which he does not believe to be true, on or pursuant to a form bearing notice, authorized by law, to the affect that false statements made therein are punishable.” Those who provide false information to members of the Internal Affairs Unit will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.